RTW 2015: New Orleans

PPSunday 26 July

Drove from Sheraton Hotel to Orlando Airport to catch Delta flight to New Orleans via Atlanta. Arrived in New Orleans around 1 pm & caught a taxi to Avenue Plaza timeshare resort. Went for walk around the Garden Quarter which was just down Saint Charles Street. There are some very impressive & gracious homes there, mainly built in the 1800s, & the complete opposite of the quirky French Quarter.

Sandra Bullock's house, which supposedly has a full size big wheel (for her son) in the ballroom. This gives a sense of the size of the rooms in these houses!

Where Jefferson Davis, President of the Southern Confederacy, died.

Had po' boys for dinner - crawfish & green onion sausage, & surf & turf. Delicious!

Monday

Caught the bus down Saint Charles St to the French Quarter. The local greeting is "Y'all have a good time in N' Awlins". Tried some of the local food - gumbo, soft shell crab, pralines, crab cakes & crawfish.

Bourbon Street in the French Quarter.

Carousel Pub in the Monteleone Hotel which has a real carousel that takes 14 minutes to rotate once.

Saint Louis' Cathedral looking from Jackson Square, with the Mississippi River in front.

Tuesday

Caught bus back to French Quarter to board the Natchez Steam Paddle boat tour on the Mississippi.

The only real steam paddle boat left on the Mississippi.

After our 2 hour lunch cruise which featured local specialties including red beans & rice & bread pudding, we were met by a local live statue who kept this pose for at least half an hour in the very humid weather, with sweat dripping off him.

Met up with David Bernberg (a Zimbo living in New Orleans whom Eastland introduced us to) & his friend, the owner of Crescent Brew House on Decatur Street. Great boutique brewery where the beers & company were very good.

Then went on a lame mule buggy ride around the French Quarter that Jane chose. (It was fine & told lots of the history of the area. Paul just couldn't understand a word he said in his Deep South accent!!!)